August is rolling right along. While the second week brings a few new releases, the big news this week is Gamescom. The event has publishers poised to drop some major news on future games. Games that will be new releases in due time! This week’s new releases include Hohokum, Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited, Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed, Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition and Risen 3: Titan Lords.

Hohokum – PS4, PS3, PS Vita – August 12

Hohokum is a collaboration between Honeyslug, artist Richard Hogg and Sony Santa Monica. Honeyslug has developed many games including the excellent free-to-play Frobisher Says for the PlayStation Vita. Hohokum is part of the PS Store PLAY 2014 event along with Rogue Legacy, CounterSpy and The Swapper. The title is Cross-Buy and Cross-Save meaning purchasing the game on one platform entitles players to the other two version and the ability to switch saves between systems.

Hohokum

Hohokum is a surreal experience focusing on the beauty of exploration rather than any specific goal. The game pops with color and whimsy as players control the Long Mover through multiple worlds. Despite not having a specific goal outside of exploration, Hohokum has plenty of secrets for players to discover in their travels. The game is about the experience, the relaxation and not feeling the typical pressures found in video games.

Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited – PS Vita – August 12

A Promise Revisited is an enhanced remake of Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten for the PlayStation Vtia. A Promise Unforgotten originally released on the PlayStation 3 back in 2011. This is the second Disgaea released on Vita for NIS America with Disgaea 3 coming out in 2013.

Disgaea 4

Disgaea 4 looks at the story of Valvatorez, a Prinny instructor that trains Prinnies for sale. Valvatorez’s Prinnies are abducted under the order of Hades and he aims to rescue his Prinnies to fulfill his promise to them. This task sees Valvatorez and his crew starting a rebellion in Netherworld.

The game focuses on the theme of politics, which existed on the fringe in previous Disgaea titles, but having exhausted the school setting of previous games, NIS chose to make Netherworld politics the central thrust of Disgaea 4.

Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed – PS3, PS Vita – August 12

Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed is the sequel to Akiba’s Trip for the PlayStation Portable. The game features a faithful recreation of Akihabra with over 130 real-life shops in Undead & Undressed. The story has multiple paths for players to pursue with multiple endings. Undead & Undressed is releasing on PS3, PS Vita this week with a PS4 version coming later in 2014.

Undead & Undreased is about the story of Nanashi, a young man, tempted by the promise of a rare figurine only to be turned into a “Synthister.” “Synthisters” are vampires who feed off the life energy of Akihabra’s cosplayers, figurine-chasers and maid café connoisseurs. Nanashi and his friends form a organization called “Akiba Freedom Fighters” and are tasked with finding the truth behind the Synthister plague and to save Akiba from the plight of Synthisters.

Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition – PS4 – August 12

Surgeon Simulator is back with the Anniversary Edition on the PlayStation 4. Now with controller support! The developer spent plenty of time transferring the controls of Surgeon Simulator to the DualShock 4. Ultimately they ended up changing the finger controls to the two shoulder buttons and transferred hand control to the SIXAXIS.

Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition

The Anniversary Edition also includes the eye and teeth transplants, and trolley mode from the iPad version and all the operations from the Steam version. It also includes a feature specific to the PS4 version much requested from fans. Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition promises to be the funniest version yet.

Risen 3: Titan Lords – PC, PS3, Xbox 360 – August 12

Titan Lords is the third game in the Risen series from developer Piranha Bytes. Unlike Risen 2: Dark Waters, Risen 3 shirks a pirate them in favor of returning to a medieval setting similar to the first Risen.

Risen 3: Titan Lords

Risen 3 sees a young warrior dealing with a new threat after being abandoned by the gods and dealing with the aftermath of the Titan Wars. The warrior is attacked from the shadows and stripped of his soul. He sets off to reclaim his soul and enlist the help of the banned Mages to help battle the darkness spreading throughout the land.

Kalvin Martinez

Kalvin Martinez studied Creative Writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He writes reviews, prose and filthy limericks. While he is Orange County born, he now resides in Portland, OR. He is still wondering what it would be like to work at a real police department. Follow Kalvin on Twitter @freepartysubs